Safety razor with adjustable blade setting



M. .1. sHNlTzLx-:R Er AL 2,952,91 1

SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SETTING 2 Sheet,s-Shee\I 1 Sept. 20,1960 Original Filed March 19, 1956 MMI Sept. 20, 1960 M. J. sHNlTzLERETAL 2,952,911

SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SETTING Original Filed March 19, 19562 Sheets-Sheet 2 I :wen lons Neger J S/mz/er /V/Mae/ Davy/0.9 enec//cljJr':

United States Patent SAFETY RAZOR WITH ADJUSTABLE BLADE SE'I'I'IN GMeyer J. Shnitzler, Brookline, and Michael Douglas Benedict, Jr.,Wollaston, Mass., assignors to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., acorporation of Delaware Original application Mar. 19, 1956, Ser. No.572,494, now Patent No. 2,848,807, dated Aug. 26, 1958. Divided and thisapplication June 9, 1958, Ser. No. 740,882

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-60.5)

The present invention relates to safety razors, and principally tosafety razors of the so-called one-piece construction, wherein thecomponent elements of the razor remain inter-connected at all times tofacilitate blade replacement without the necessity of handling separatedrazor parts. In greater particularity the present invention concerns theprovision of improved and relatively inexpensive means for adjusting theshaving relation between a clamped blade and an associated guard memberto suit the needs of the user.

The various objects and features of the invention will be apparent inthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof,and their particular novelty distinctly pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a View in side elevation, partially in longitudinal section,showing our razor with the shaving relation thereof adjusted to providea minimum blade edge exposure;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with certain portions broken away,but with the shaving relation adjusted to provide a greater exposure ofthe blade edge;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1

and on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. l and also on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View on an enlarged scale of the elementsemployed in clamping a blade in the present razor;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5 showing these elements in a differentrelative position; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the various component elements of theillustrated razor.

A preferred embodiment of our novel razor, as it would be used inshaving, is best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein it will be seenthat the razor comprises a head portion 10 in which -a double-edgedblade B may be clamped for use in shaving. A handle 12, of compositeconstruction, is connected to the head portion 10 which may include aguard 14, a platform 16 and a pair of swingable cap sections 18 forclamping the blade B against the platform 16 with its cutting edges inshaving relation with respect to the guard 14.

The exterior portions of the handle 12 may include a guard extension 20fast upon the guard 14 to which a tube 22 may be press-fitted to form acomposite outer tube. Immediately beneath the tube 22 (hereinafterreferred to as outer tube 22) will be found an adjusting knob 24 whichmay be employed to vary the shaving relation between the clamped blade Band the guard 14 in a manner more fully described below. The terminus ofthe lower end of the handle 12 may include an opening and closing knob26 which for greatest convenience is placed in end-to-end relation tothe adjusting knob 24.

In furtherance of certain aspects of the invention, it has been foundpreferable to provide an inner tube 28, one end of which is spun ontothe platform 16 and which Patented Sept. 20, 1960 ICC extendsVinteriorly of the tube 22 and concentrically thereof. For convenienceof manufacture, this inner tube 28 may be of composite construction andinclude a threaded element 30 pressed onto its lower end. With furtherreference to Fig. 1, it can be seen that the adjusting knob 24 may also,for convenience of manufacture, be ofcomposite construction and have apress-fitted insert 32 which is threaded onto the threaded element 30.This insert further provides a seat 34 for receiving the lower end ofthe outer tube 22. A spring 36 acting between a ange 37 formed on theinner tube 28, and an internal shoulder 39 formed on the guard extension20 maintains the lower end of the outer tube 22 in positive engagementwith the seat 34, which in effect is an integral part of the adjustingknob 24.

Realizing that the range of variation of shaving relation between theclamped blade B and the guard member 14 is to be determined bythe needsof the shaving public, the present disclosure illustrates an averageminimum exposure of the blade edge in Fig. 1 and an arbitrarilyselected, representative maximum exposure of the blade edge in Fig. 2.These extremes and any intermediate exposure positions may be obtainedby revolving the adjusting knob 24 to vary the position thereof withrespect to the inner tube 28 and threaded element 30. This result owsfrom the fact that the relative position of the guard member 14 iscontrolled by the adjusting knob 24 and the spring 36. With respect tothe presently-discussed aspects of the invention, it should be observedthat the clamped blade B, the platform 16, and the composite inner-tube28 with threaded element 30 form a rigid metallic system for carryingthe adjusting knob 24. The shaving relation adjusting system is freeVfrom any interdependent functional elements intercontime, the shavingrelation of the blade B with respect to the guard 14 may at any time bevaried by adjustment of the knob 24.

Replacement of the blade B is effected by a further system of mechanicalelements which, according to other aspects of the invention, may includethe knob 26 located immediately below the -adjusting knob 24 and inend-to-end relation thereto. The knob 26 is illustrated as having twoconcentric, interiorly threaded portions, the upper of which providesfor its attachments to the lower end of the threaded element 30. Thelower threaded portion of the knob 26 is, preferably, a multiple threadof relatively steep pitch, and carries thereby a threaded element 38which has a central aperture 40 of non-circular cross-section (Fig. 7).Looking toward the interior of the inner-tube 28 (Fig. l), it will beseen that a stem 42 extended therethrough, being secured at its upperend to a spider 44 and having at its lower end a reduced portion 46. Thecross-section of this reduced portion 46 corresponds to the congurationof the aperture 40 to permit passage of the reduced portion 46therethrough but prevent relative rotation therebetween. A lock-nut 48is threaded onto the extreme lower portion of the reduced portion 46 tomaintain the threaded element 38 and the stem 42 in assembled relation.Referring further to Figs. 1 and 7, it will be seen that a springlock-washer 50 is interposed between the nut 48 and the threaded element38. In Fig. 1, the spring lockwasher S0 is shown as it performs afunction described below in which it is wholly compressed to a flatcondition, though normally, in non-compressed condition,

. tionn which is illustratively shown in Fig. 7.

thisl lock washer would maintain the. threaded element.

38 at the upper end of the reduced portion 46 of the stem, 42,

The spider 44'L includes cross-arms 52',the linturned ends of whichserve as pintlesi"54i for thef pivotal or swingable-mounting of the capsections 18 as: is best. illus- Y trated Vin' Figs. 5 andv 7. Forappearances sake, it is common practice to superpose shell-like members'56 over the ends of the cross-arms 52.

'I-he cap sections ;18 are provided withV legs 58 at'. the lower end ofwhich provision is made for the. pivotal mounting thereof onthe pintles54. Also adjacentthese pivotal mountingsv are projections @extendingfrom the legs 58l and preferably at right angles thereto. Referringparticularly-,to Figs. 2 and 5, it willbe seen that the platform 16 isformed with integral tabs 62 adjacent the legs 5'8- and Voverlying theprojections 60.

With the above description ein mind, itwill be. seen that-the blade Bmay be replaced-byopening andlclosing thev swingable cap sections 18Vwithout disturbing the shaving relation established in theV razorhead bythe adjusting knobr24. To this end, knob'26 is rotated to advance itupwardly along the threaded element 30.

also advanceupwardly with' respect to the knob 26.

' stone/,9:11v

4 differentfindividual users, it is essential that convenient andreadily accessible means be provided for eiecting such adjustment.Further to these same ends, it s desirable to provide sensing means fordetermining the magnitude of adjustment being made. To further thesepurposes,V a stop-spring 64 may be provided. This spring lies betweenand bearsaagainstrthe threaded. element 30 and the outer-tube 22 touforce its lower end through a slot 66 formed in the lower.A end of theouter-tube 22. The adjusting knob 24` is provided with a portion 67which overlaps thelower end ofthe outer-tube 22 and is yconcentrictherewith.. Flutes 68 formed in this overlapping portion provide detent,meansA for receiving the lower end of the stop-spring 641 (Fig. 4`) asit is urged outwardly through the slot 66. ,'Thus, as the adjusting knob24 is rotated, a readily detectable. hesitation is felt by the user asthe detent means releasably maintains the adjusting knobinvariousincremental positions. Further, thev stop-spring Y64 produces an audiblenoise as it enters one ute or another, assisting the user in determiningthe magnitudey of variation.

As has previously been alluded to, there are desirable maximuml andminimum settings for the shaving relation As this occurs, the element 38will4 move upwardly 'until Yit reaches the upper limit of the reducedkportion 46 lof the stemY 42, decompressing the spring lock-washer 42,carrying it upwardly and with it the spider 44. As

hasbeenV noted, theV capV sections 18 are carriedon the Y pintles 54 atthe ends of these spidercrossl arms 52, and, therefore, vthey, willadvance upwardly as Vsaid longitudinal movement is imparted byrotationof the knobl 26. As a resultofthis longitudinalimovement,the

of the. bladel edge'with respect to the guard member. 1.4. In theinterest of providingv a more.Y convenient and eicient adjusting meansfor this` shaving relation, it. is desirable that means be provided forpreventing the adjustment of the shaving relation from exceeding eitherextremelimit'. VTo this end, and with` another aspect of the presentinvention in mind, the stop-spring 64 preferably is formed with'aloop 70-which .also extends through the slot 66 in the outer-tube 22.Co-operating with this Y projecting. loop is an integral lug 72extending upwardly projections 60 will engage undersurfaees of Vtheplat- A formV 16 as providedfby the Ytaps 62, thus causing the caprsections 18 to swingloutwardly to a fully openaposi- In this position ofthe cap sections 18, an `old blade may be from the overlapping portion67l of the adjusting, knob 24. Once in assembled' relation, rtherotation of the adjusting knob 24 is thereby limited to less than'onerevolutionvand the extreme limits` of adjustment. may be established bythe pitch of the thread ofy theelement 30. g Y

Two lfunctions 'are combined inthe stop-spring 64;

, namely, it serves as a click-producing detent means as lremoved andYanew blade maybe placed' on the razor j head, resting onv the platformV16'. The new blade may be clamped on the platformV 16 by impartingreverse vrotationY to the knob 26. In so doing, theknob-26 and thethreaded element 38 will move` downwardly-.with respect to the outertube 22, carrying the stem 42and ythe associatedspider 44 therewithina-longitudinali direc- Y tion.V As this longitudinal movementV ,isimparted, the vlegs 58V of the cap sections 18 will engage edgesl onthe'pl-atfor'm, as provided'by the tab 62 (see Fig. 6), thus.

causing the cap sections to swinginwardly toward each other inreadinesstoV clamp a blade B- ou the platform.

l`16 in response to continued longitudinalV movement of A`the stem 42,in a downward direction. After thev blade B is clamped against theplatform 16in-a-positive manner, further continuedrrotation ofthe knob2600mp'resses the spring lock-washer V50 as seen` 'in Fig.` l'vtoV28"and the stem V42 will effectuate'the same degree of.Y

opening `and closing of the'cap sections V18;

Often times,.in shaving itis `foundy thathcertainv portions of 'apersons face may be-more tender than other portions, and' because Voflthis or-'forv closery shaving Vor other.reasons, it may bedesirableto'vary the shaving ":rela'tion' ofthe blade -of the 'razorlhead `during the -course AFor-'this reason, as well as to permitsvariations lofxthis shaving relationtosuitl the need of 'o'ff'theshave.

well as providing. a stop for limiting the extent of adjustment of theknob 24 to less than one `full-revolution.

YYet another functionis uniquely combined in this eleloop 70'isexternallyivisible and serves as a readyV reference point for thedesired indicia on' the adjusting knob 24. Y a ,Y

The present application isazdivision of our co-pending .applicationrSerial No'. 572,494 led March 19,Y 1956,

'from said guard, andY swingable cap sections which in 'closed positionclamp' aA blade against Vthe platform in shaving'relation with respecttosaidV guard andVv in open position permit blade replacement, saidguardhaving an extension forming aportionof saidhandle,. means. se-

' cured/to saidlplatform, adjustable,l meansy connected to saidlastnamed means for varying the shaving` relation between theclampedfblade and the guard-by adjustment of said` platform relative tosaid guard, a spider on which said cap sections are pivotally mounted,ia stem.con

A'nected to said Vspiderv and extendingA interiorly. of. Vsaid handle,Vmeans for imparting longitudinal. movement to V`said stem and spider,said-cap sections having projections and legs adjacent their pivotalmountings, and said separate platform having undersurfaces which areengaged by said projections to swing the cap sections to their openposition in response to longitudinal movement of the stem in onedirection, said platform also having edges which engage the cap sectionlegs to swing said cap sections to their closed position in response tolongi- References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSAnastasia Jan. 11, 1955 Shnitzler et al Aug. 26, 1958

